Quick stocking question and a strange algae problem.

[SomniumFurvus]

I have a 10 gallon guppy tank which has been set up for just over 6 months and currently houses 5 guppies and 3 albino cory cats. I do water changes once a week, and I know I'm not overstocked currently as everything is fine, but how many more guppies would I be able to put in the tank before I reached the limit.



Also, besides this I have a 15 gallon planted tank that has a funky algae problem. I have this brown, stringy algae that started growing like a fuzz on my aquarium walls and then even got to the point where it was growing from one plant to another in a thin, stringy form. This is/was with regular [once weekly] water changes. Now I have the brown stringy algae as well as some really bright green algae that has started growing on the back of the tank.

The tank houses 2 baby guppies [I think], 1 male betta, 1 clown loach, and 1 African Dwarf Frog. The only major change that happened before this algae began to grow was the addition of two pieces of driftwood to the tank.

I hope to have pictures by tonight if that'll help, but if you have any idea what this could be, please help me out. Thanks!!

 

[reignman40]

As far as the 10 gallon I think 1 more guppy and maybe 1-2 more cories would be fine. Or maybe 2 more guppy and no more cories.

On the algae issue I'm not sure. I have hair algae grow on my live plants all the time but I just grab it and take it out. Some pics might be more helpful but I'm not really an algae expert.

 

[thesydmonster]

I would probably not add any more fish to your 10 gallon, it seems well stocked and since your tests come out fine, why push it?

As to your 15 gallon, your clown loach is going to need a much larger tank since they can grow very large (at least 55 gallons and some friends since they do best in groups).

Is your 15 gallon planted tank near a window? What is your lighting? Do you add ferts? If so, what and how much? Usually an algae problem is due to an imbalance of nutrients.

 

[Emg]

I would bet that algae came in on that driftwood.

Take the driftwood out and soak it in a bleach solution.....and then let it soak in some water with dechlorinator in it. Do a major gravel vac and water change.....change the filter pad as well....though all this cleaning may cause your tank to go through another cycle, it'd be worth it to get rid of that algae. I just did a similar thing to my 29 with a hair algae issue. Looks nice and sparkly now...lol...we'll see if that lasts...